New Year's Day meal

I am soooo excited... this year Stacy and Brian sent us the cookbook from Insalata's and I got a wonderful new all clad soup pot from Greg... so tomorrow it's Papa's Shrimp Bisque for dinner. I'm also making a wonderful Neapolitan Calamari and Shrimp Salad thanks to Giada. It looks terrific and reminds us of our wonderful trip to Amalfi. So I will post pics tomorrow if it turns out well.

Bon Année

Bon Année from Paris. By some crazy bit of luck, the dinner reservation we had tonight ended up being in the 7th (where the Eiffel Tower resides) and not in the 5th, as I had thought. And not just anywhere in the 7th, but two blocks from The Lady herself. And when we found ourselves walking out of the restaurant at 10 minutes to midnight, it was pretty easy to figure out where we were heading.

Check out the (for some reason now audio-free) video above, as the clock strikes twelve, the fireworks go off and The Lady turns from blue (her color during France's EU presidency, which ended at midnight) to her regular golden white-ish hue.

Happy New Year!

Long live the Queen

While it's snowing in Cambridge, NY, it's blowing here in Baltimore. Sixty mile an hour winds are predicted with temperatures in the 20's... too cold for going to fireworks so we are spending a cozy evening by the fire. Each of us chose a favorite food to bring in so we are having quite an eclectic dinner... ribs from The Corner Stable (best in Baltimore), crab cakes, Three Cheese Pizza, and for Gabe wings from Cluck-U in Towson. Then I made this flourless chocolate cake. It's a favorite Julia Child's recipe called Reine de Saba. The almonds on the side didn't work too well though... should have used crushed almonds to dust the sides. But the chocolate buttercream icing will be to die for. We are topping it all off with sparkling juice in honor of Gabe's eight months of sobriety. A much better New Year's than one year ago for sure. I echo Debra in wishing all of you a very happy, peaceful, and joy filled new year.

New Year's Eve Day in Cambridge, NY

"...do, do, do, do out my back door!"

Last year, 20-inches of snow fell on New Year's Eve and it looks like this year may top that. I'm loving the snowfall but not the shoveling. It's winter in Cambridge, NY an we always love a good snow. I've got the cross-country skis waxed and ready and the snow shoes are geared-up. If you're going to live in snow country, you may as well learn to love it and get out and play.

Happy New Year to Noah and Sarah in Paris; Chuck, Gretchen, Stacy and Brian in the San Francisco area; Robin, Greg and Gabe in Baltimore; and all the folks that enjoy life, where ever you live.